Did you know? The government of Mongolia announced 2023-2025 as the year to visit Mongolia. Despite the government’s goal to receive 1 million tourists in 2023, which remains out of reach, the results were undeniably impressive. 

Record of Welcome to Mongolia

As of December 20th, 2023, Mongolia welcomed a record-breaking 640,000 tourists, surpassing historical figures. This milestone year Mongolia witnessed strong inflows from key markets, with Russia contributing the highest number of 217,000 tourists followed by South Korea with 139,800 tourists. Boosted by record-breaking tourist arrivals, the tourism sector's revenue already surpassed $1 billion for the first time. FYI, according to the Mongolbank’s data, tourists in Mongolia inject an average of $2,000-$2,048 per trip into the economy. 

• But: 2023 was a historic year for Mongolian tourism but the Government fell short of its ambitious target of drawing 1 million tourists. 

Diving deeper into details

Tourists from only 5 countries such as Russia, South Korea, and China accounted for 84% of total arrivals. Furthermore,

• Expanded Reach: As part of the "Welcome to Mongolia", visa requirements were temporarily lifted for citizens of 34 countries until the end of 2025. This policy, coupled with existing exemptions, means citizens of 61 countries can now enjoy visa-free travel to Mongolia.

Also, this year, Mongolia hosted a series of prominent figures representing diverse sectors, from cultural icons like Pope Francis and YouTube star Nas Daily to business leaders like CNN's Richard Quest and mining legend Robert Friedland. These visits generated significant media attention, highlighting Mongolia's cultural richness and growing economic potential on the global stage.